Bihar Police arrests Indian Mujahideen Founder Yasin Bhatkal

Bihar Police with inputs from Central Intelligences have arrested Mohammed Ahmed Sidibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal, the alleged Founder and chief of banned Terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. Another IM operative, Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, is reported to have been detained along with him.

The Arrest took place at Raxaul along the India-Nepal Border on Wednesday night and has been confirmed by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. He is presently under custody of Bihar Police and is being investigated.

“Yasin has been traced and he is under the custody of the Bihar police. The interrogation is going on. Till now, this is the only information,” Mr. Shinde told reporters outside Parliament House.

Yasin Bhatkal in a CCTV Footage

A joint team comprising central intelligence agencies and Bihar police had been camping in Darbhanga in Bihar for his arrest.

Newly received Reports suggest that the operation also had the involvement of three Intelligence Agencies, IB, RAW and NIA. Delhi Police special cell teams were stationed too on Bihar-Nepal border since one week.

Bihar Police Chief Abhayanand has also confirmed the arrest. “It was Bihar Police that mainly helped NIA (National Investigation Agency) and other government agencies to arrest Bhatkal,” said DGP Abhayanand.

The Entire operation was so secret that only 3-4 Senior Police Officers had information about it. It is still unclear where is Bhatkal is being held, however Police says that he would soon be brought to Motihari to appear before Executive Magistrate. It is expected that NIA would seek custody of Bhatkal.

Yasin had evaded Arrest several times in past through carefully driven strategies. In 2008, West BEngal Police reportedly arrested him, but he was released on bail as the Officers were unaware of his terror background.

Yasin has been wanted in several high profile terror cases including German Bakery blasts in Pune, where he was allegedly captured on CCTV footage, 2010 Bangalore stadium bombing and Dilsukhnagar blasts in Hyderabad. He is also sought in the case of Assassination of Bharatiya Janata Party legislator U. Chittarajan in 1996.